


The Firebird

by melliyna



Series: The Ballet Series [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ballet, Best Friends, Friendship/Love, Multi, OT3, Polyamory, We Just Love Each Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-11
Updated: 2012-04-11
Packaged: 2017-11-03 11:08:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/380722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melliyna/pseuds/melliyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Watson is a danseur returning from rehabilitation to take part in the Royal Ballets revival production of <i>The Firebird</i>. Sherlock Holmes is the ballet worlds rising star and Mary Morstan is the new Principal Dancer. Together, they'll make this production and just maybe, fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Firebird

John Watson stands at the door of the rehearsal room, hesitating. It's been a year of rehab and at least six months of physiotherapy to get his legs back to performance standard and his shoulder is still somewhere in the region of dodgy. A nagging voice reminds him of retirement but truth be told he couldn't have given it up - not yet and not on the terms he'd originally been offered. 

So he walks in to a rehearsal room that he isn't even sure he belongs in because John Watson, principal danseur does not know anything or anywhere else. So he stretches slowly, through the familiar movements (concentrate on the legs, make sure they are fully warmed up, don't overextended the shoulder muscles, make sure you don't hit that ache) before he gets to the barre. 

He's just waiting for Sherlock to arrive - Mike, an old friend from his old performing days (Mike had been lead music director on his first ballet as a member of the company) had introduced him to the choreographer who'd been willing to take a chance on him as a comeback story, with assurances that he could in fact, dance this, this version of the Firebird with himself taking the role of the Firebird and Sherlock Holmes as Ivan.

Sherlock Holmes. Principal Danseur up and comer and Mike said, being Mike, 'just a bit odd John but no more than you are, you'll do great together. Besides you've both remarked that no one would want you for a dance partner' which John, oddly, decides makes him feel better about this whole thing. Because if they're going to take this risk together at least they've got a point in common. Honestly, he's more worried about living up to Mary Morstan who'll be dancing the Princess/Firebird alternating with him. Worried that it won't work, that they won't gel as a Pas de deux. Sherlock Holmes, he's a known, at least. 

So John resolutely puts them both out of his mind until well, until they arrive. He's gone through the basic barre exercises and has almost given up on anyone showing up when Sherlock _swirls_ in to the rehearsal room. There's no other word for it, John decides - he simply swirls, like he's already on stage, walking in to the enchanted garden, costume swirling about him and so help him, John can't help but think 'he's going to be brilliant' because, well it was all true. Mary follows him and he's at ease immediately, in a different way - she's grace and strength and gives him a wink as she slips in behind Sherlock and sits, exchanging her street shoes for pointe shoes and throwing off her coat. Sherlock meanwhile has ditched his coat and is regarding John. Definitely regarding. 

"You have a shoulder injury - result of a non dance event, likely a car accident. The knee is mostly healed but you have phantom pains because you worry about it carrying you - especially as this is your first production after a long rehabilitation and your family is largely dependent on your income to hold things together financially - but your father still wishes you'd chosen medicine. Oh and yes, don't worry about impressing the ballet master - he's already impressed enough to have hired you."

"You know Sherlock? That was all kinds of brilliant - how did you know all that?" he finds himself saying, because god he means it and then, then, Sherlock smiles, sudden and brilliant.

"Usually people just tell me to sod off. "

"Well then they're idiots" 

It's uttered in unison and he and Mary get another Sherlock Facial Expression that John classifies as 'bewildered but happy and a thank you is in there' 

They turn to their separate warm ups after that but it's an easy, comfortable silence now. Mostly, with new dance partnerships you have awkward moments but they seem to have fallen in to an easy rhythm together - none of them crowding each other as the rehearsal room starts to fill up with other dancers shedding street clothes and dance bags as they go - John sees two in particular shoot a venomous look at Sherlock who looks back smugly and looks like he's about to say something not terribly wise when the ballet master walks in, quelling it with a look and a pointed "Sherlock, Sally, Anderson - leave it for now will you."

Greg Lestrade nods a welcome to John, who manages a smile and hopes he doesn't look as nervous as he feels - Greg Lestrade had been the Paris Opera Ballet's Principal for a remarkably long time alongside his wife, though they had both retired after their daughter was born John still looks at their _Giselle_ with seventeen different kinds of awe - especially as for Principals everyone who worked with them had spoken well of them. Lestrade clearly still has stage presence because everyone snaps to attention as he directs the rehearsal pianist in to starting formal warm ups. 

"Right everyone, begin. Warm up first and then those of you staying for Firebird chorus - studio down the hall. Soloists, you'll stay here today but tomorrow we'll be moving to Studio Fonteyn. Those of you going on to Nutcracker rehearsal, check your schedule - some of you have costume fittings scheduled today."

As the music starts, John relaxes. This, this is going to be good. He can tell he and Sherlock are different, technique wise (John's always been more than a bit intuitive but precise and Sherlock is decidedly about precision, the logic of the dance) but they work well, even in warm ups and Mary? Mary fits in with and around them though she's different again - there's more than a bit of mischief in her dance. He's decided, by the end of the warm up that the scuttlebutt about Sherlock being a terror to work with is an exaggeration or at the very least, not the whole truth because they're certainly doing well enough right now. 

John Watson is really looking forward to seeing what it's like to dance with Sherlock Holmes, oh yes he is.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Grand pas de action (The Variations de Giselle Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/398543) by [voodoochild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/voodoochild/pseuds/voodoochild)




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